Refrigerator.



PATENTED JULY l1, 1905.

A. H. MERRILL. RBFRIGERATOR.

APPLICATION FILED Nov. 29,1904.

VVA-

/ygmlg/Q.

Wfz/zesses x UNITED STATES Patented July 11, 1905.

ARTHUR H. MERRILL, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT.

REFRIGERATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 794,630, dated July 11,1905.

Application filed November 29, 1904. Serial No. 234,742.

To @ZZ wlw/0m, t may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR H. MERRILL, a citizen of the United States,residing at Hartford, in the county of Hartford and State ofConnecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inRefrigerators, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to refrigerators, and has for its object theprovision of improvements whereby defective conditions existing in oldstructures are overcome and a better refrigerative effect is the result.

In the class of articles to which my invention relates moisturecondenses on various parts, and particularly on the bottom of theice-receptacle, from which it drops into the storage-compartment belowwith more or less detrimental effect on the articles of food supportedon the shelves thereof; and a further object of my invention is theprovision of means which by preventing this condensation provide a cooldry compartment for the perishable articles.

Other objects of the invention will be hereinafter set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal verticalsection of a refrigerator involving my invention. Fig. 2 is alongitudinal section on line 2 2 of Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a detail insection on line 3 3 of Fig. 2 of an improved tray.

Like numerals designate similar parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 5 designates the frame of arefrigerator, said frame being of any approved form and construction,and 6 the usual hinged cover thereof. Within the frame and designated by7 is a metallic shell extending from top to bottom, said shell beingspaced at the desired distance from `the sides by usual means to providedead-air spaces 8. Partitions 9 divide these air-spaces into twocompartments, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Secured within the chamber of the refrigerator and soldered at its loweredges to the usual oor-lining 4 is a casing 10., having an open bottomand a top slotted at 10 to rovide cold-air ducts. In forming these s ots5o the walls thereof are raised by the punching operation, so that waterfalling from the tray hereinafter described cannot enter the same. Thiscasing is open at the front to permit access thereto, the opening beingclosed by the usual door, and is so located in the shell that a space 11for the reception of water dripping from the ice-tank is formed betweenthe two.

Designated by 12 is the ice-tank, provided with perforations 12 topermit the escape of drip, and below said ice-tank and supporting thesame is a tray 13 of peculiar construction, said tray resting on topofthe casing 10. To provide for the circulation of air, the tray 13 isslotted at 13, the slots having raised walls to prevent the escape ofwater. Flanges 132 prevent the passage of water from the tray, except atthe ends, where it is perforated at 14 to permit the same, the rows ofperforations being located adjacent to the water-space 11, as shown inFig. 2, while at the back the tray is deiiected at 133 to guide the dripto said water-space. In the bottom of the tray are rows of sockets 15,three rows being shown, although more or less may be employed withoutdeparture from the invention, and in these sockets are plugs 16, of corkor other suitable material, which rest upon the top of the casing 10 andseparate the tray therefrom. While plugs of any material may beemployed, cork does not absorb moisture and is of more or less yieldingstructure, so that the tray andice-tank are suported on what may betermed cork cushions,77 which are advantageous in practice. Similar rowsof sockets 17 in the top of the tray are provided for the reception ofplugs 18, upon which the ice-tank is supported. Although rows of socketsand plugs are shown, the invention is not limited thereto, for suchparts may be variously arranged Without departure therefrom.

To draw off the water from the chamber 1 1, a siphon 19, the short legof which communicates with said chamber at 20, is employed; but otherdevices may be substituted for this purpose, if desired.

By separating the metallic tray from the casing and the metallicice-tank from the tray spaces areformed for the passage of IOO cold airthe currents of which effectually preclude deposit of moisture on theunder side of the tray and circulating through the casing applyrefrigerative effect to the perishable articles supported on the usualshelves 21 thereof.

In the operation of my improved refrigerator drip from the ice-tankpasses through perforations 12 and falls upon the tray, from which `itpasses over the deflected side 133 and through the perforations 14 tothe waterspace 1 1. From what has been stated it will be seen that thecold drip-water is retained for a long period in the space 1 1 and thatthe refrigerative effect thereof is utilized in keeping down thetemperature, thus retarding the melting of the ice and saving expensetherein. Furthermore, by precluding the deposit of moisture on the underside of the tray veXatious drip therefrom is avoided and thefoodcompartment is always kept in a cool and dry condition, theseresults being accomplished by separating the metallic parts from eachother by the plugs described.

Changes may be made in the various details of the invention and in theshape and position of the parts without departure from the invention,which is not limited in these respects to the construction shown.

Having thus described my invention,'what I claim isf- 1. In arefrigerator, the combination, with a metallic casing open at the front,and consttuting a storage-compartment, said casing having a top providedwith air-passages, of a tray; projections on the under side of said trayresting on the top of said casing, and serving to separate the tray fromthe storagecompartment; an ice-tank, havin means for the escape ofwater; and projections on the upper side of the tray for supporting theicetank, and thereby forming an air-passage between the bottom of saidice-tank and said tray.

2. In a refrigerator, the combination, with a stora e-casing having anintegral top and sides, o a tray, supports on the under side of saidtray, and resting on the top of said storage-casing; an ice-tank, andsupports on the top of said tray upon which the ice-tank is mounted,whereby air-passages are formed between the bottom of the tray and thetop of the storage-casing, and between the top of the tray and thebottom of the ice-tank.

3. In a refrigerator, the combination, with a storage-casing, of a shellseparated from said casing to form a water-chamber; an icetank; a trayupon which the ice-tank is supported, said tray having flanged endslocated over the water-chamber, and adjacent to said ends perforationsto permit the escape of water to said water-chamber.

4. In a refrigerator, the combination, with a storage-casing, of ashell' separated from said casing, to form a water-space; a perforatedtray insulated from the top of the storage-casing, and having flangedends and a downwardly-deflected side 3 and an ice-tank supported by thetray.

5. In a refrigerator, the combination, with a storage-casing, and with awater-chamber surrounding said casin on three sides, of a tray havingflanged an perforated ends, and a downwardly-projecting side; plugs forseparating said tray from the top of the casing; an ice-tank; and plugsfor separating the tray from said ice-tank.

6. A tray for refrigerators, provided with flanged ends, perforationsadjacent to said ends, a downwardly-flanged side, and a series ofupwardly and downwardly projecting plugs.

7. The combination, with the frame of a refrigerator, of a casinginserted in said frame, and open at its front, said casing having a topuniting the sides thereof; a waterchamber partially surrounding saidcasing; a tray g plugs on the under side of said tray for separating thetray from the top of the casing; plugs on the upper side of said tray;and an ice-receptacle supported upon the plugs on the upper side of thetray.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ARTHUR H. MERRILL. Witnesses:

F. E. ANDERsoN, W. L. WAKEFIELD.

